Category Manager, Strategic Sourcing, F&B

We are seeking a high-impact Category Manager, Strategic Sourcing – Food & Beverage to lead sourcing strategies across key global categories. This role serves as the commercial owner for assigned categories, accountable for delivering value through cost optimization, supplier performance, innovation, and supply continuity. You will partner with cross-functional stakeholders across culinary, operations, finance, and supply chain to develop and execute data-driven sourcing strategies that support business objectives and enhance the guest experience across multiple brands. This is a highly visible role with direct influence on enterprise-level procurement outcomes, requiring a blend of strategic thinking, commercial acumen, and execution excellence.

Essential Functions:

• Development of an effective long-term strategic sourcing plan for highly complex categories and projects that create long-term value while meeting brand objectives, including value creation, supply continuity, risk mitigation, and innovation. Effective collaboration on strategic sourcing categories and projects within the organization and stakeholders; developing relationships to become a trusted sourcing partner. Ensuring cross-functional engagement and support of category projects and initiatives.
• Apply category management best practices, tools and techniques in the development and implementation of an integrated strategic sourcing strategy to assess the overall opportunity within the categories for projects. Serving as a subject matter expert on strategic sourcing categories with the stakeholders and fostering effective relationships.
• Maintain focus on project timelines and deliverables to ensure business goals and objectives are met. Strong partnership with Finance team to accurately forecast impacts of category strategy, including scenario modeling.
• Researching best practices and conducting baseline due diligence to best understand opportunities for savings, reducing TCO, improving efficiencies, quality improvement and service of the sourcing teams. Lead supplier qualification, segmentation and certification programs.
• Effective supplier relationship management; leveraging data, metrics, and internal feedback. Providing and reviewing score cards to improve supplier results. Developing early supplier involvement to ensure suppliers are utilized to their full capabilities and proactively providing input to provide low cost, efficient, and quality goods and services. Effectively influencing change and buy-in across the stakeholder group and leadership. Implement gold-standard contracts across the strategic supplier base; negotiate strategic supplier contracts and develop innovative pricing models and agreements to deliver value to brands.

Essential/Minimum qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree required – in Supply Chain, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field. MBA preferred. Certifications: CPSM, CPM, APICS preferred.
• Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Strong negotiation and commercial contract management skills, with ability to structure complex supplier agreements. Advanced analytical capability including spend analysis, cost modeling, and market intelligence interpretation. Ability to develop and execute category strategies based on data insights, market trends, and business requirements. Strong understanding of total cost of ownership (TCO), cost drivers, and supplier economics. Strong problem-solving skills with sound business judgment. Ability to manage multiple high-impact initiatives and priorities simultaneously, with strong attention to detail and a disciplined, process-oriented approach. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; experience with sourcing tools (e.g., Coupa, Ariba) and analytics platforms preferred. Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills with ability to communicate insights to senior stakeholders.
• Leadership & Engagement: Strategic Thinking, Commercial Acumen, Data-Driven Decision Making, Stakeholder Influence, Execution Discipline, Relationship Management, and an Adaptability & Ownership Mindset.

Essential Experience Required

• 4–8 years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or category management, with demonstrated ownership of sourcing initiatives. Proven track record of delivering measurable cost savings, cost avoidance, and supplier performance improvements. Experience leading supplier negotiations, contract execution, and sourcing events (RFP/RFQ). Experience working in cross-functional, matrixed organizations influencing business stakeholders.
• Preferred: Experience working in cruise, hotel, or foodservice industries; exposure to global sourcing environments (North America, Europe, APAC); experience in Food & Beverage sourcing or related commodity categories; and experience managing complex, high-value or high-risk categories.

This position is classified as “in-office.” As an in-office role, it requires employees to work from a designated Carnival office in South Florida Monday through Thursday each week. Employees may work from their homes on Fridays. Candidates must be located in (or willing to relocate to) the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area.

At Carnival, your total rewards package is much more than your base salary. All non-sales roles participate in an annual cash bonus program, while sales roles have an incentive plan. Director and above roles may also be eligible to participate in Carnival’s discretionary equity incentive plan. Plus, Carnival provides comprehensive and innovative benefits to meet your needs, including:

• Health Benefits:
• Cost-effective medical, dental and vision plans
• Employee Assistance Program and other mental health resources
• Additional programs include company paid term life insurance and disability coverage
• Financial Benefits:
• 401(k) plan that includes a company match
• Employee Stock Purchase plan
• Paid Time Off
• Holidays – All full-time and part-time with benefits employees receive days off for 8 company-wide holidays, plus 2 additional floating holidays to be taken at the employee’s discretion.
• Vacation Time – All full-time employees at the manager and below level start with 14 days/year; director and above level start with 19 days/year. Part-time with benefits employees receive time off based on the number of hours they work, with a minimum of 84 hours/year. All employees gain additional vacation time with further tenure.
• Sick Time – All full-time employees receive 80 hours of sick time each year. Part-time with benefits employees receive time off based on the number of hours they work, with a minimum of 60 hours each year
• Complementary stand-by cruises, employee discounts on confirmed cruises, plus special rates for family and friends
• Personal and professional learning and development resources including tuition reimbursement

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About Us

Carnival Corporation & plc is the world’s largest leisure travel company, our mission to deliver unforgettable happiness to our guest through our diverse portfolio of leading cruise brands and island destinations, including Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn in North America and Australia; P&O Cruises and Cunard Line in the United Kingdom; AIDA in Germany; Costa Cruises in Southern Europe.

Carnival Corporation & plc and Carnival Cruise Line is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. In this regard, it does not discriminate against any qualified individual on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, mental, physical or sensory disability, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, federal, and/or international law.

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